Volume-regulated anion channels do not contribute extracellular adenosine during the hypoxic depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in area CA1 of rat hippocampus.

We investigated whether volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) contributed to the accumulation of extracellular adenosine during hypoxia in area CA1. The rapid hypoxic depression of the fEPSP was greatly attenuated by the selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist DPCPX (50 nM), but not affected by the VRAC blockers tamoxifen (10-30 microM) or DNDS (1 mM). Our data argue against the efflux of adenosine per se or its precursor ATP through VRACs as making a significant contribution to extracellular adenosine during the early stages of hypoxia.